Kochi: Six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were set free by the Supreme Court today.
In its verdict, the Apex Court pronounced the judgment ordering the release of Nalini Sriharan, Robert Pais, Ravichandran, Suthenthira Raja (alias) Santhan, Shriharan (alias) Murugan and Jaikumar.
Citing the Apex Court’s May 17 order setting free another convict Perarivalan, the Supreme Court division bench observed that Perarivalan case is applicable to the present applicants, media reports said.
The Court said the Tamil Nadu Government’s recommendation to the Governor seeking the release of the convicts was gathering dust with the President. The Court said that the convicts had spent over 30 years in prison with satisfactory conduct.
In 1998, the six convicts and 19 others were sentenced to death. The Supreme Court acquitted 19 others in the case. In 1999, the court commuted the death sentence of
Robert Pais, Jayakumar and Ravichandran to Life sentence while retaining capital punishment of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, Nalini to life.
In 2000, Nalini’s death sentence was reduced to Life, following Sonia Gandhi considering her mercy plea. In 2014, the Apex Court commuted the death verdict of the remaining three convicts to Life imprisonment.
The convicts filed mercy petitions with Tamil Nadu government which sat over it for 11 years. Finally, Tamil Nadu Government recommended to the Governor in 2018 to release the convicts.
Governor forwarded it to the President who was taking considerable time in taking a decision on the matter.
It was at this time the Supreme Court set free Perarivalan which became a landmark judgement for the release of others.
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